The Islamists vs The West - Mali and The New African Battleground

Prime Minister David Cameron described the threat in North Africa as 'a global one.'

The dramatic and deadly 4-day siege at the In Amenas gas plant in Algeria just a few weeks ago came as a shock to many. 37 foreigners (including 6 Britons and a British resident) died.

The incident's shone a light on a wider crisis -- that of a new African battleground. And the current and complex fight in Mali between Tuareg rebels, who want a separate state, Islamic militants (allied to al-Qaeda) and Malians - is hitting the headlines on a daily basis.

Prime Minister David Cameron described the threat in North Africa as 'a global one...'. One which he said "will require a global response. It will require a response that is about years, even decades, rather than months."